Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1887-06-17
LAND CLAM MURDER.
FOur Persons and Then Himself-TNo Of the

Simon 5. Nelson OF Beaile Connty, OAK, Kills
Four Persons and Then Rimself-Two Of the
Victims Women, Ono Being Slang tered While
on Her Knees Yainly Craving Mercy. .
S Huron, OAK, Special Telegram, June G.
A quadrupple murder and suicide occurred
in Lake Byron, this {Beadle) county, to-
day Simon S. Nelson came to the coun.
ty in july 1870, took up land
south OF Cavour and lived Il there
three years. He was regarded
by his neighbors as a law-abiding citizen,
although OF strong passions, OF average in
telligence, and hard worker and did not
He was one of the first commissioners OF
Beadle county aud served threeyears. Five
years ago, when what are known as the
Cameron claims we're thrown open
to settlement, Nelson took up one.
Mrs. Flora E. Shaw, q widow, with her sis.
ter, Miss Alice e. Lyman, from Geauga
county, Ohio, came to Huron in April,
lsS2. They Immediately filed On the quar-
ter section OF land which Nelson had put
some kind OF filing on. BUTT was reported
that Nelson had land covered # up
under fictitious names, and they,
seeing that he did not live on the
claim, built their house and moved
into it. After the usual contests, the Sec
rotary OF interior gave the land to Mrs.
Shaw, and Neilson would not leave the
premises. Last Friday, when young Shaw
attempted to work on the land, Nelson
took a Winchester rifle and threatened to
shoot him if he did not leave, which he did.
This morning E. S. Lyman, a brother Of
Mrs. Shaw and Miss Lyman, Corwin Shaw,
the two ladies and J. A. Kelsey, a neighbor
who lives two miles away, all
went to the field to work. Mr.. Ly man and
Mr.. Shaw began blowing. The women re-
manned at the edge OF the field Mr.. Ke!-
sey had not begun to work. He did not
want to 60 for he feared trouble, inasmuch
rs he had been threa tened with death by
Nelson.
When Corwin had plowed across the field
with Lyman just behind him, and turned to
mako another furrow, Nelson came out
with Winchester rifle and shot at Lyman,
who dashed behind his horses and was not
hit. Lyman called to all: Run for your
lives!' Corwin ran, but fell dead, shot
through the heart, the ball entering his
son fired at Kelsey, who fell shot through
the right lung and one kidney, and Neil
son supposed him dead. By this time
the murderer had got up to the two
women, who stopped and faced him. When
= they saw that Corwin had fallen they ran
no further. Mr.. Lyman says that Nelson
then came up to the women, talked to
CneHI, reloaded MS gun ana tnen uellDeraCe-
ly shot each OF them to death. When Miss
Lyman was shot she wsss seen BY her broth
er to be kneeling before the tigerlike
monster. piteously pleading for her life,
but he knew no mercy. He put the muz-
zle OF the Winchester close to her face and
shot her in the left temple. She was found
by the deputy sheriff on her face and knees
with her head toward the direction from
which her murderer approached her Her
face was blackened with powder. Nelson
then pulled out his knife and stabbed her
in the right breast, and his appetite tor
others blood was satiated.
He walked passed the three he had kill
ed, and onward toward home, which he
soon reached. Then Nelson went into the
house and said to his wife. "There's three
less OF them" Then he went outside where
his horse was saddled as though he would
ride away, but in a moment a report OF a
gun was heard, and as Mrs. Nelson went
to the door she saw him fall dead to the
ground. a bullet in his right temple. Kel-
sey died soon after being shot. The par
ents OF the ladies who were killed live in
Chester, Geauga county, Ohio.